Olu Ashaolu had decisions growing up as a kid in Toronto, Canada. One decision, led him to a life on the basketball court and it was tougher than one might think.
In the seventh grade, Ashaolu tried out for the football team and made it. All that was needed to put his name on the roster was a signature on a permission slip by his mother, Christianah. As much as he hoped that she wouldn't look over the form carefully, as soon as she saw the words "football," she said there is no way her son was going to get hurt playing that game.
Ashaolu, whose full first name is Oluseyi, claims that as a child he was better at baseball than basketball. He played pitcher, first base and center field and then at 12 years old, he began to grow. In fact, one year, he grew about four inches and that got the attention of AAU coaches. But they turned away, thinking that he was such a fine baseball player, he wouldn't want to spend time with the game of basketball.
"My brothers came home for the summer and we worked out," Ashaolu said. "I went to the YMCA every morning and I started showing some promise. I thought that I'm growing and they play basketball so if I play baseball, there is no one that I really know that can help me or give me advice. I decided to take the sport where I would have the most resources, the most help."
Ashaolu used the advice given from his brothers, Steve, John and Sam, and landed at Louisiana Tech in 2007 after getting to know then University of New Orleans assistant coach Nikita Johnson. Johnson recruited Olu's brother, John, to be a Privateer before moving on to LSU and then ultimately joining Bulldog head coach Kerry Rupp at Louisiana Tech.
Being from Canada, Ashaolu had to get comfortable with the way the game is played in the United States. He got the taste of U.S. ball when he was accepted to Community Christian School in Stockbridge, Ga. as part of the foreign exchange program. He then transferred to Christian Life Center in Humble, Texas when Community Christian's program folded, before his senior season. In Canadian collegiate basketball, the center position is about 6-5 and in the USA, that's the size of an average two or three guard, according to Ashaolu.
"As far as big guys, you guys (USA) outnumber us," Ashaolu said. "As far as talent goes, basketball is a primary sport here (USA), so it's night and day. Canada's primary sport is hockey, but then you have soccer, rugby and a little bit of football."
At 6-7, 220 pounds, Ashaolu is a combo guard, but slated to start at the four position for the Bulldogs. No matter what position, being a big, athletic guard has its advantages.
"My biggest strength is my strength," Ashaolu said. "It's allowed me to punish the opposing guard. If the opposing coach puts a smaller guard on me, Coach Rupp moves me down to the post so I can use my size and strength against him. If their coach puts someone who is bigger on me, Coach Rupp counters that with a play for me on the perimeter where I can dribble and drive and use my athleticism to get around him and create shots for other guards."
Even with his versatility, Ashaolu can't take credit for being the best athlete on the team.
"You got 6-11 Magnum (Rolle) who jumps out of the gym. He could probably touch the retired jerseys of (Karl) Malone and (Teresa) Weatherspoon up there if he wanted to. Then you got Darius Redding, a freshman. The things he does when we are just fooling around are mind-boggling. I'd have to give him my vote on that one."
Ashaolu made the most of his freshman year averaging 5.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while playing in every game of the Bulldog's 15-18 season. He had a career-high night against Murray State with 16 points in Tech's 69-60 win. Ashaolu can't overlook what taking a redshirt during his first season at Tech, did for himself as a player.
"I wanted to sit back and take that year under my belt and envision what I would do," Ashaolu said. "Basically I just wanted to learn because Coach Rupp has so much to teach. The freshmen right now are probably killing themselves thinking `wow, we have this much to remember.'"
Now as a sophomore and with LA Tech poised for a breakout season, Ashaolu is aiming for a breakout of his own. He wants to be a double-double performer and help Tech to its first Western Athletic Conference Championship.
The computer information systems major is thankful for the opportunity the game of basketball has given him. He has dreams of playing at the next level, but if that doesn't work out, he still has other ways of making a living.
"If you were going to take basketball away from me, I'd like to open a business and own some real estate," Ashaolu said. "I'm driven. You come to college to earn a degree. I'd love to open my own business and be apart of something where I call the shots."
